Blue Merle - Burning In The Sun - Island

Between the scruffy sweetness of Luke Reynolds’ rough, expressive tenor and the orchestral richness of the band’s intricate arrangements, Burning in the Sun is an album that is easy to get lost in.

Produced by Stephen Harris, (U2, Dave Matthews Band, Kula Shaker), its sound is immediately inviting and disarmingly nuanced. Some songs, such as the string-drenched “Every Ship Must Sail Away” and “If I Could,” are lush with harmony and emotional portent, while others — particularly the insinuatingly propulsive “Boxcar Racer” and “Either Way It Goes” — bubble over with rhythmic energy and melodic allure.

Throughout, the music carries the sort of inventiveness and depth of feeling found only in the best rock songwriting.